Russian Foreign Policy toward Missile Defense

This book is devoted to one of the central issues in U.S.-Russian and NATO-Russian relationsballistic missile defense. Drawing on more than 2,000 primary sources, interviews with Russian and NATO officials, and a variety of Russian and Western publications, this book offers an unparalleled, in-depth analysis of the reasons behind Russias policy towards the construction of a U.S ballistic missile defense in Europe. It provides a critical assessment of the decision-making mechanisms that shape Russias position on ballistic missile defense, as well as Russias strategic relations with the United States and Russias interaction with European and non-European powers. Lilly argues that contrary to Moscows official claims during the Putin era, Russian objections to the construction of ballistic missile defense in Europe have not been wholly dictated by security concerns. To Russia, missile defense is not purely an issue in and of itself, but rather a symbol and instrument of broader political considerations. At the international level, the factors that have shaped Russias response include Moscows perception of the overall state of U.S.-Russian relations, the Kremlins capacity to project influence and power abroad, and NATOs behavior in the post-Soviet space. Domestically, the issue of missile defense has been a facilitating instrument for strengthening Putins regime and justifying military modernization. Taken together, these instrumental considerations and their fluctuating intensity in different periods prompt the Russian leadership to pursue contradictory policy approaches simultaneously. On the one hand, the Kremlin seeks U.S. cooperation, while on the other hand, it threatens retaliation and reinforces Russian offensive capabilities. The result is Moscows incoherence, inconsistency, and double-speak over the issue of missile defense.